Blue-Fronted-Amazon

Amazons are stocky green parrots that hail from the Mexico and Central and South America. They are happy and playful, but can be willful to a fault. Consistant positive training that reinforces good behavior can tame this bird's aggressive behavior.

What can I say about Amazon parrots? Their bodies are a mix of several shades of green with patches of blue, yellow, and red throughout. These medium size birds range from ten to fourteen inches in length roughly. They love to play and show off their newest trick. The term, "ham" can be used to describe them.

While they are playful, they don't tolerate cuddling as much as other species. If you want to cuddle, ask first. Some are loud and most are good talkers.

Blue-fronted amazons are good pets but generally not the right bird for first-time owners. They can be quite aggressive and new owners don't deal well with this. Amazon's are particularly prone to aggression during the breeding season. Now, you may not be trying to breed your bird, but each breeding season, they will experience hormonal changes.

For a breeding bird, you, the owner, can be seen as the potential mate. Don't get scared just yet. What this means for you is that you are the object of their affection. The bird will start exhibiting behaviors that are common during mating. You'll see this when spring approaches.

Birds become different animals during breeding. They may bite, scream, pluck their feathers, or become territorial. If your bird sees you as its "mate", any other person they come in contact with is asking for trouble. They are intruding. This could cause problems for couples when one spouse is loved and the other seen as the enemy.

Aggressive birds may click their beaks. You may also see them raise their wings or a foot. It kind of reminds me of the Karate Kid movies. In essence, he is getting into a fighting stance. He may start eye pinning or other threatening behavior when the undesired person is about.

Aggression can come as a result of possessiveness. This is also a trait exhibited as a result of hormonal changes. Birds act jealous of others who are around its owner. All of this negative behavior can be combatted however using the correct methods which begins by not rewarding your bird for this behavior which a lot of unexperienced owners will do.

When spending time alone with the owner, the bird will treat him as he would a potential mate. This may seem funny or weird. Since facial hair is the closest thing to feathers, your amazon may preen eyebrows, mustache, eyelashes, and even your hair. He will stay close to keep others away. He may regurgitate his food as a love offering. This is a very common way for parrots to express affection.

You can deal with the aggressive traits as they come. Find out the cause of each and deal with it in a positive way. If he is biting or wont let you come towards the cage we suggest watching our "Power Pause" video that deals with this. http://www.birdtricks.com/PowerPause

What you don't want to do is start something bad for the sake of keeping him pacified and have it turn into a bad habit. Never give in to a bird that is trying to get its way. If he is ill, change his diet or take a trip to the vet. For breeding season, you and your spouse or friends will have to put up with a jealous bird for awhile. One nice training tactic I've used to curb jealous screaming is to actually hug my spouse longer when the bird is screaming. They learned that screaming doesn't separate us. Once they stop screaming, we release the embrace. It takes a bit of time and patience however, it's well worth the effort. For any aggressive or unwanted behavior that pops up with your Blue Fronted Amazon, the best cure and preventative is training based on positive reinforcement.